AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team's first win of the season was a big one, as the Gyrenes soundly defeated the No. 18 team in the nation, the Southeastern University Fire, 5-2, Saturday on the Ave Maria campus. The victory marked the highest-ranked opponent ever defeated by the Gyrenes, and earned AMU an important Sun Conference victory in the process.

The Gyrenes set the tone for the day in doubles, sweeping the three matches, albeit mostly in neck-and-neck affairs. Two of the three matches went to tiebreakers, with the lone exception being the upset win by Gustavo Cruz and Bruno Duarte at the number one spot, as the Gyrene duo beat the No. 12 pair in the nation, Roy Stepanov and Federico Barbon, 6-4.

Needing just one of the final two doubles matches, the Gyrenes got both to sweep the opening set of contests. Sebastian Grijalva and Fernando Orihuela earned their 7-6 victory with a 7-4 tiebreaker win over Victor Olivera and Diego Menendez, while Guilherme Bento and Carlos Thireau did the same over Enrique Martinez and Theo Preiswerk at the third position.

In singles play, Ave Maria won four of the six matches to seal their 5-2 win. Cruz and Duarte continued their stellar play in singles, with Cruz beating Stepanov in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, and Duarte rallying from a 6-1 loss in the opening set to win the last two, and the match, 6-4, 6-0. At the number five position, Guilherme Bento provided the clinching point with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Preiswerk.

Carlos Thireau also earned a victory in singles play, topping Christian DellaCiopp in dominant fashion, 6-2, 6-3 at the number six spot. Southeastern earned a win at the number four spot thanks to a win by Diego Menendez. The Fire also won at the number three spot, as AMU's Orihuela was forced to retire due to heat-related illness in the second set, despite winning the first, 7-6.

Ave Maria's season begins with six nationally recognized teams, a streak that is only at its halfway point. The second of the Division II teams in that slate comes on Wednesday, when the Gyrenes take on the Eagles of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. Opening serve between AMU and ERAU is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The next home match is scheduled for Friday morning, when Ave Maria plays host to Ottawa University from Arizona.